Allston gears up for its annual street fair

About 100,000 Boston residents will celebrate the city’s hippest multicultural festival, the Allston Village Street Fair, on Sunday.

There will be live musical performances by rock bands, an international food court, comedy shows, multicultural street performances, family entertainment and thousands of promotional giveaways.

Attendees can create their own street murals with Boston street artist, “Sidewalk Sam.”

“With so many residents so far from their native home, this opportunity touches participants’ hearts, souls, and spirit,” said Joan Pasquale, the executive director of The Parents and Community Build Group, Inc., an official sponsor of the fair, in an email. “The AVSF’s spirit is a contagious, positive energy that welcomes and engages everyone.”

She said the Allston Village Street Fair represents all ages and all cultural demographics, which in turn instills community, respect and pride.

Proceeds from the Allston Village Street Fair will benefit the all-volunteer Parents Community Build Group, Inc. and Ringer Park’s Partnership Group. Both organizations provide community services and resources to residents in Allston and nearby areas.

Breast cancer awareness and the Music Drives Us foundation have been selected as the supported charities of this year’s festival.

Darcie Nicole, a board member of the Allston Village Street Fair, helped organize the festival.

“This event brings visibility to Allston-Brighton arts, culture, stores and cuisine,” Nicole said, “but also brings purveyors from across the region to the consciousness of Allston-Brighton residents. What a wonderful exchange.”

Nicole said that the fair would combine people of different backgrounds in the Allston-Brighton area.

“This is truly an all inclusive event that brings together a collage of people who may not otherwise be connecting to share in a rich cultural experience,” she said, adding that the festival represents Allston’s young, vibrant, creative and culturally diverse community.

With multiple businesses in the region, festival visitors will be able to explore Allston’s small business community as well as local vendors, Pasquale said.

“The AVSF Festival creates consumerism and return consumerism,” she said.

The event will provide sponsors and vendors the opportunity to have one-to-one communication with people of a wide range of cultures, ethnic groups, age demographics and socio-economic segments.

“Boston University students will have an amazing time at this event. There are giveaways for them, great music, great resources for college kids,” Nicole said. “And there are so many ways that students can civically engage with the community organizations that host information tables at the street fair.”

Students are able to participate in the 2012 Allston Village Street Fair’s production plans, which begin in January.

The Parents and Community Build Group, Inc. also does a number of community events in the Allston-Brighton area such as park clean-ups, community swap meets and other events that better the community, she said.

“Anyone who would like to get involved is encouraged to volunteer,” Nicole said.

Joy Daniels, a member of the band Joy for the People, will be a main stage performer at the fair.

“As an Allston resident, I know for sure there are tons of musicians and artists walking the streets everyday,” she said. “The Allston Village Street Fair honors all of us, and brings us together to celebrate each other.”